1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a printer and its interface unit, a printing system, and a method for setting communication parameters in the printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printers generally have a serial interface, parallel interface and the like, as a means for communication with a host computer. However, recent spreading networking tendency has popularized printers which can install an optional interface function as interface for connection with various networks.
To realize this optional interface function, various external communication units (hereinafter referred to as "network boards") to be installed in printers have been developed. The printers can be connected to various networks by changing these network boards installed in the printers.
When one of these network boards is installed in the printer for printing via a network, it requires the setting on the network board of network-specific parameters for connecting the printer to the network. If the network board has a serial interface function, for example, a transfer baud rate and a transfer data length must be set.
In the above prior art, however, in order to set the network-specific parameters to the network board, the network board is required to have additional functions or parts; for example, an interface function to set the parameters, or switches for setting the parameters must be provided on the network board. This increases the price of the network board itself.
Even if the parameters are set from the printer by using an operation panel of the printer or the like, the printer must have a parameter setting program that can handle all the variety of network boards. However, it is wasteful to provide such program in the printer, and further, this increases costs of manufacturing the printer.